Galectin-11 induction in the gastrointestinal tract of cattle following nematode and protozoan infections

P Hoorens, M Rinaldi, B Mihi, L Dreesen, G Grit, Elza Meeusen, R Li, Peter Geldhof

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Galectin-11 (LGALS11) has been suggested to play an important role in protective immunity against gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminants. However, in cattle this molecule has not been characterized in detail. In the current study, it was shown that transcription of LGALS11 was highly inducible in the bovine abomasal mucosa after an Ostertagia ostertagi infection. LGALS11 protein expression was also increased in the abomasal mucosa following O. ostertagi infection and localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm of epithelial cells and the mucus. Using in vitro abomasal epithelial cell cultures it was shown that LGALS11 induction was associated with the proliferative and dedifferentiated status of cells. However, LGALS11 was not induced following stimulation with O. ostertagi excretory-secretory products. These results suggest that LGALS11 induction in vivo may be an indirect rather than a direct effect of the parasite on the epithelium. In addition, LGALS11 transcript was also detected in the abomasal lymph nodes where it was shown to be transcribed in MHCII(+) cells; however transcription levels in the lymph nodes were not altered after O. ostertagi infection. In addition, LGALS11 was also induced in the small intestine by different types of parasites, including the nematode Cooperia oncophora and the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)669 - 678
Number of pages10
JournalParasite Immunology
Volume33
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011

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